Estimated reading time: 8 minutes
Sig’s extensive catalog offers no shortage of variations to fit almost any need or budget. With so many variations, will the P320XF BXR3 hold its own?
Table of contents
Get a grip with the BXR3
Right out of the box, the first thing I notice is that this pistol has an incredibly comfortable grip. In terms of shape alone, it fits my hands perfectly. The bottom of the trigger guard is undercut for the middle finger of my dominant hand and the slight flare near the magwell keeps it in place without the need for finger grooves.
On the other hand, the grip texture is a bit lacking. There are strips of texture on each side but it is less aggressive than I would have liked. Plus, each textured area is separated by a wide strip of slick plastic.
The BXR3’s grip gets an 8.5/10 on comfort; I just wish it was grippier. But that’s nothing I can’t fix with a soldering iron or a bit of skateboard tape.
Sights
When I was a kid, my Uncle Chuck always carried a Sig 226 that had a set of triennium sights. I don’t know if he had added them on or if they were stock but either way, they were a frequent conversation piece around winter camp.
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I remember one time I noticed a green light SHINING across the tent floor in the middle of the night. After investigation, I found the light source to be none other than my uncle’s pistol sights.
Were they really that bright? I doubt it, but over time actual events are replaced in memory by the stories we tell of the event. Every few years the fish was a pound heavier, the shot was a few yards further, and the glowing sights were just a little brighter.
There are arguments regarding the effectiveness of night sights and whether they are worth buying but that isn’t a decision you’ll have to make since they come stock on the BXR3. I can’t guarantee that they will light up the floor of your tent but the glow is plenty bright to see and if nothing else, they can help you find the pistol under your cot.
BXR3 Slide
One feature I always appreciate is good serrations on both the front and back of the slide. Grabbing the front of the slide to chamber a round has become my preferred manual of arms on any pistol with a mounted optic and the serrations make that much easier.
In addition to the serrations, the slide on the BXR3 is also milled to mount a red dot. My pistol came outfitted with a ROMEO-X PRO but other sig optics fit this footprint as well.
The 4.7-inch barrel necessitates a fairly long slide. This contributes to the pistol’s overall length of 8.2 inches.
Controls
All the controls are fairly intuitive. The slide release is ambidextrous and is easily reached by your thumb. The mag release is good and prominent so I only have to shift my grip slightly to drop a mag. The mag release can be swapped to either side but you have to pick one or the other. It doesn’t work from both sides at the same time.
On the topic of mags, the pistol comes with two. The seventeen-round capacity is on par with most full-size pistols and I have no complaint regarding the reliability. OEM spares run around $45 but aftermarket mags can be had for as low as $20.
The trigger is… okay. I wasn’t expecting anything amazing and this pistol didn’t do much to prove me wrong. There is moderate takeup followed by a spongy wall that you push your way through until you, without warning, break through with a pull weight averaging just over five pounds. I’ve used worse. I’ve used better. It is something you can train around but just manage your expectations.
Mediocre triggers are all too common on striker-fired pistols but what IS unusual is the absence of a segmented trigger. Unlike almost every other pistol in its class, Sig does not use a trigger with an integrated safety. Some makers use a central leaf, others use a hinge at the midpoint of the trigger. Either way, this feature helps to prevent a negligent discharge caused by something snagging the trigger. With it being such a simple feature I wish Sig would start including it.
At The Range With the BXR3
I shot about four hundred rounds with the BXR3 throughout my review. I only had one stoppage which occurred within the first few mags. It was a failure to feed but given the fact I was shooting cheap 115gr remanufactured ammo and I hadn’t lubed the gun yet, I’ll give it a pass.
The grip is comfortable, and unlike my Glock, I can make it multiple mags without having the skin grated off my thumb knuckle by the slide.
Reloads are quick and smooth thanks to the generous magwell and the slide release is placed perfectly for me to efficiently drop the slide just as a fresh mag is inserted.
The ergonomic grip does a good job of almost everything except mitigating muzzle rise. A 9mm is a 9mm; the round is going to produce the same recoil no matter what but the pistol’s job is to translate the recoil in a way the shooter can manage it.
This pistol has a fairly large bore axis. This is the vertical distance from the top of your grip to the centerline of the barrel. The recoil from each shot uses this distance like a lever to torque your wrist and drive the muzzle upward. Of course, this can be trained around and plenty of people do but it is worth mentioning. When shot side by side with other pistols there is notably more rise to compensate for.
Breakdown and Modularity
Now for my favorite part of the BXR3, the modularity. Sig has been expanding the modular P320 line for quite a while but until now I haven’t had much experience with it. But, after having spent some time with this gun, I am impressed with how easily parts can be interchanged.
At its core lies the FCU (Fire Control Unit). This assembly, basically a trigger pack, is the serialized component of the pistol and can be paired with several different grip modules and slides to make dozens of combinations.
Read More: The Most Modular Handguns
I’m not interested in modifying my pistol every month so this concept never appealed to me on a practical level but after spending time using it I can’t help but appreciate this simplistic design that works so well.
One option outside of the typical slide and grip combinations is the Raider X chassis from FLUX Defense. I haven’t spent enough time with the raider to form an opinion but I can say the breakdown of the P320 and the FCU swap was so easy. It took me less than a minute to go from pistol to PDW. No tools were required and I did it while sitting on my couch.
Overview
All in all, I think this is a solid option for anyone in the market for a full-size pistol. The ergonomics are good, the optics mounting system is well thought out, and it looks sharp. Not to mention they usually go for around $700 with an optic.
This is just one of the many options sig offers. Check out SIG’s Website for more details or to see their full catalog.
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I like good reviews of new guns.
This was good.
But what would have made it EXCELLENT, is if you listed the caliber and specs at the beginning. I didn’t figure out it was a 9 mm until halfway through the article but the target pictures and listing a 17 round mag made me suspect it wasn’t a .45 ACP. Why wouldn’t you list the gun’s specs at the very beginning of the article so the reader knows what you’re describing? You list its weight, size, feel, and everything else physical, but leave out caliber until the 2nd half of the article describing the shooting experience.
Thanks for the feedback. I’ll keep that in mind.
“The recoil from each shot uses this distance like a lever to torque your wrist and drive the muzzle upward…”
This reminded me of the Sig P250 I had which was a precursor to the P320 and a lot of pre-cursing on my part.
The trigger was terrible! It didn’t break until it hit the back of the trigger guard with my trigger finger forming a fist.
Not only was my wrist torqued, my trigger finger was almost torqued into a pretzel.
After five shots my finger was done for the day. It was still curled up in a fetal position when I typed an ad to sell my Sig.
I had a similar experience with an S&W SD9-VE where its trigger had a pivot in the middle.
It also traveled all the way back to the end of the guard (and the front of the grip) and twisted my finger after firing.
Needless to say, I never bought another gun from either company and with lots of other options, I didn’t have to buy any.